Post Extraction Woes
by Scifikt
Summary: They were headed to lunch until they were stopped at the guard desk and asked to turn around. What did Ba'al do when he tried to change the timeline? Now complete.
1. Chapter 1

Sam was all smiles as she, Jack, Cameron, Daniel, and Teal'c headed for the last check point on their way to a post Goa'uld extraction celebration lunch. She was already trying to decide between the grilled chicken salad and Caesar chicken wrap when the guard stopped her.

"I'm sorry Colonel, but the infirmary has requested that you not leave base."

"What?"

"We received a call a few minutes ago asking us to stop you and have you return to the infirmary."

"You guys go on to lunch. I'm sure this won't take long and then I'll join you."

Jack shook his head. "Not a chance."

"Well, if he's not going then neither am I, I mean he's the one paying." Cameron grinned.

"Indeed."

With that the whole group followed Sam back to the infirmary where she was invited into Dr. Lam's office alone. "Colonel, thank you for coming back. Did anything unusual happen while you were with the Tok'ra?"

"No, just a few hours of singing before they extracted the Goa'uld. Why?"

"There were some inconsistencies in your test results. I'd like to get another blood sample. It will take us about twenty minutes to rerun the test in question."

"Ok, should I be worried?"

"No, I'm pretty sure it was a false positive, but I'd rather get a new blood sample to confirm it."

"Alright." A nurse came in and took a vial of blood.

Dr. Lam returned fifteen minutes later. "Colonel, could you please come with?"

Sam followed Dr. Lam to a gurney behind a curtain. "Colonel, were you aware that you're pregnant?"

Sam's eyes flew open in shock. "No, there's no way. I mean, no."

"I didn't think so. When you arrived from Atlantis two days ago your blood work didn't indicate you were pregnant, but it does now, and the HCG levels are higher than could happen in a few days."

"What are you saying?"

"I'd like to start with an ultrasound to determine how far along you are."

"Right, ok."

"Please unbuckle your pants and pull your shirt up. The gel will be a little cool." Dr. Lam began moving the wand around and the screen filled with grey blobs.

"Well?"

Dr. Lam removed the wand and wiped the gel off Sam. "I'm moving you to an isolation room."

"An isolation room?"

"I'm sorry but yes, I'll explain everything once you're there."

Dr. Lam rolled Sam past the guys, who were perplexed as she entered isolation room two. All four men moved up to the observation room. Dr. Lam asked two guards to be placed outside the isolation room as she picked up the phone and called General Landry.

She turned off the microphone in the room and came back over to Sam. "Based on the ultrasound you're thirteen to fourteen weeks pregnant. I've double checked your blood sample from when you arrived from Atlantis and it indicates you were not pregnant when you arrived her two days ago. I'll contact Atlantis and confirm you didn't have any positive pregnancy tests prior to leaving, but I seriously doubt if you'd had a positive test they would have neglected to tell you. Based on this I have to suspect this is not a standard human pregnancy."

"So that's why I'm in isolation."

"Correct." Sam sighed as she looked up at the concerned men in the observation room. "Let them know I'm ok."

Dr. Lam nodded. "I'll be back soon."

She went up to the observation room and explained the pregnancy to Sam's team, Jack, and General Landry.

"Do you think this is what Ba'al meant when he warned us?" Daniel glanced over his shoulder at Sam.

Cameron shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. What would he gain by doing this?"

"I don't know, but until I can establish there wasn't an alien influence in this pregnancy Colonel Carter will remain in isolation." Dr. Lam folder her arms over her chest.

"How do you plan to establish that?"

Dr. Lam looked at Jack. "I am going to do a chorionic villi sample today."

"And if that shows the child is human?"

She shrugged. "I just run the tests."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam fell asleep after Dr. Lam finished removing the sample. Jack spent over an hour in Landry's office talking to the IOA, NID, and the President. When he returned, he sat in the observation room and watched her sleep, wishing he could fix this for her. The IOA had ordered Landry to limit Sam's contact to medical personnel only until the test results were back and she could be interviewed by the IOA and NID tomorrow.

Dr. Lam put a rush on the results and had them by the next morning. Dr. Lam met with Sam before she went to the conference room to let General Landry, General O'Neill, Mr. Williams from the IOA, and Agent Barrett from the NID know the results. The child was all human and half of its DNA was from Sam. She also let them all know she had enough tissue to test for paternity, if a potential father was identified. She saw no evidence of alien interference, but she also couldn't rule out that an alien presence had somehow influenced the pregnancy, possibly by speeding it up. She planned on taking daily measurements to see if the pregnancy stayed on pace.

Sam's face lit up when she saw Jack enter the observation room, but it fell when General Landry, Mr. Williams, and Agent Barrett followed him. Mr. Williams moved to the front of the group as Dr. Lam entered the isolation room and pulled up a chair beside Sam.

"Colonel Carter, I'm Mr. Williams from the IOA. We met with Dr. Lam this morning and we are aware that the child you carry is human."

Sam nodded. "She let me know."

"Based on her estimate you are fourteen weeks pregnant. You've been the commander of Atlantis for the last 45 weeks, which leaves us wondering who under your command is the father of this child?"

Sam paled as she pushed up in the bed and sat up straight. "I have not had an intimate relationship with anyone under my command."

"I'm afraid the evidence says otherwise, unless you can provide another explanation."

Dr. Lam put her hand on Sam's arm. "As I stated earlier it's possible that although this child is fully human the pregnancy itself could have been started or hastened by an alien influence."

"And by aliens are you referring to Ba'al?"

"I have no idea, sir. I just know that questioning Colonel Carter's integrity based on so little information is unnecessary. She hasn't done anything to deserve this."

"Other than get pregnant while serving at an off-world base."

Sam looked over at Dr. Lam, "Fourteen weeks means conception happened twelve weeks ago, correct."

"Yes."

Sam gave a small tense grimace, "I was on Earth for an IOA interview twelve weeks ago."

"Are you telling us you think the father is someone you encountered here on Earth?"

Jack grinned as he stepped forward, "Yes, yes she is." Jack nudged his way in front of Mr. Williams. "Doc could you run a paternity test using my DNA?"

"Yes sir, I'll get right on it."

Jack turned to face the group. "Until then I suggest we disband this little gathering." Jack waited for the observation room to clear. "Sam?"

She looked up at him nervously. "I don't know how it happened Jack. I know for sure I wasn't pregnant a few weeks ago and I'm still on birth control."

"We'll figure it out."

Mr. Williams opens the door to the observation room, "I'm sorry General but Colonel Carter is still not available to speak with you. We're concerned that if she has been infected by an alien it could try to influence you."

Jack scowled, "Fine." He looked back at Sam. "I'll be back soon."

A couple hours later Dr. Lam entered the room. "Good evening Colonel, how are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"I got your records from Atlantis and there was no evidence of pregnancy while you were serving there. I honestly have no idea how you could become fourteen weeks pregnant in a couple days."

"Neither do I. It's like I just suddenly became a different…"

"Different what? Colonel?"

"A different person."

"I don't understand."

"The timeline changed. I'm not the same Sam as when I went to the extraction." She looked up at Carolyn. "We need to look for other changes to the timeline."

"Ok, I'll review the medical records of everyone on base, starting with those of you who went to the extraction. I'll also let General Landry know about your hypothesis."

Sam was allowed to participate in the meeting by video. The IOA was still concerned she was a threat to the base and insisted she be kept in isolation.

Dr. Lam opened her folder. "I reviewed the medical records for SG-1 and General O'Neill as well as all teams who were off world during the extraction procedure. I found a scar I had previously documented on Vala's left ankle is no longer present. Nobody else on SG-1 had any other medical differences I could find. None of the teams who were off world showed any differences. I will complete a full review of every member of the SGC but that will take several weeks."

"That's it?" Mr. Williams was unimpressed.

"For now, yes."

Daniel slid a notebook forward towards the center of the table. "This is a translation I've been planning to start for several weeks."

"So?"

"It's halfway done."

"Ok?"

"I never started it, but it's in my handwriting."

"This is supposed to be proof that the timeline has been altered?"

"Yes, it is."

Mr. Williams sighed and sat back in his chair. "This is ridiculous."

General Landry stood up, "I want each of you to do a detailed inventory of everything in your offices, lockers, cars, and homes. If there is anything out of place, make a note of it. We will meet again here at 1000 tomorrow. Until then Colonel Carter is allowed out of isolation but confined to the SGC."

Cam stood as General Landry left. Jack headed straight to the isolation room. He wanted to grab her and wrap her in his arms, but protocol and her sharp look kept him from following through. "Let's get you out of here. I hear there's meatloaf tonight."

"I still don't understand why you like the SGC meatloaf so much."

Jack shrugged. "My mother made meatloaf on Sundays."

"Remind me to introduce you to my mother's meatloaf recipe one day."

"Now that's a plan."

The next morning, they met around the conference room table again.

"Thank you, folks, for being prompt. Dr. Jackson, how about we start with you."

"I didn't find anything other than the translation we discussed yesterday."

"Teal'c?"

"It is possible the candles in my room were arranged differently but that does not appear to be conclusive evidence of a change in our timeline."

"Ok, thank you." General Landry made a note on his notepad. "Colonel Mitchell."

He slid a picture onto the table. "I found this in my locker. It's a picture of my grandfather. He was a merchant marine before World War II. I don't remember there being anyone else in the picture with him."

Daniel pulled the picture towards him. "Who is this?"

Cameron shook his head. "I don't know."

"They look similar, maybe it's his brother."

"As far as I remember my grandfather was an only child."

Sam reached out and pulled the picture closer. "They do share a strong resemblance."

Jack turned her hand, so he could get a better look at the picture. "Well, if nobody else is willing to say it I will. He looks like you, just older."

Sam's eye widened as she looked back and forth from the picture to Cameron. "It does, doesn't it." She held the picture a little higher. "We need to find out about this man."

Daniel took the picture from her hand. "I'm on it."

"Thank you, Dr. Jackson." General Landry made another note on his notepad. "Jack?"

"I didn't find anything unusual."

"Ok."

"Colonel Carter?"

"I found some notes in my lab I don't remember writing. It looks like I've been doing some research on using alternate dimensions for shielding."

"Anything else?"

"No, sir."

"Dr. Lam?"

"I did not find any changes in my personal life nor in the medical facility. None of my staff reported any changes either. Colonel Carter's pregnancy appears to be proceeding at the correct pace, so I doubt there was an alien interference. I also got back the paternity data. I've already shared it with General O'Neill and Colonel Carter." She glanced at both officers, who had been sitting just far enough apart to be professional. "There is a 99.9% chance that the child Colonel Carter carries is General O'Neill's."

General Landry broke into a big grin. "Excellent, congratulations are in order."

"Thank you, Hank. We're very happy." Jack glanced at Sam whose cheeks were slightly pink.

"That's awesome Sam." Daniel gave her a beaming smile.

"Indeed."

General Landry nodded. "We will have to plan a big celebration, but for now we need to keep concentrating on the potential timeline changes. Vala, did you find any changes?"

"Not a one, sorry." She shrugged.

General Landry sighed. "Neither did I. I also asked several other officers to do a complete inventory of their lives and belonging over the last week and they did not find anything amiss. Mr. Williams and Agent Barrett, did either of you find any changes to your lives?"

They both shook their heads.

"Ok, Dr. Jackson will pursue more information about the man in Colonel Mitchell's picture. Based on what I've heard it seems like there is evidence to support the idea that there has been a change in our timeline, but the only people who appear to be involved in these changes are SG-1 and General O'Neill. Based on this I think Colonel Carter should be allowed to leave base. Mr. Williams, any objections?"

"I think the IOA will concede that neither Colonel Carter nor the child she carries is of any significant risk."

"Excellent. We'll meet again tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

Jack opened the door for Sam and followed her into her house. "Would you like a glass of diet coke? Wait, can you still drink diet coke?"

Sam grinned and put her hand on his arm. "Relax Jack, yes, I can still drink diet coke but considering how late it is I think I'll avoid the caffeine. Maybe just some water."

"Water I can do."

He gave her the water and then disappeared to the bedroom for a few minutes. He sat beside Sam on the sofa when he returned. He looked tense.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, yes, probably."

Sam put her hand on Jack's leg. "Jack."

"I did find a difference."

"What?"

"I came back here last night and looked around, only through my stuff, promise."

Sam gave him a small smile. "I don't have any secrets from you Jack."

"Still, I didn't go snooping through your stuff."

"But?"

"I found something in my stuff, something I'd been thinking about but hadn't followed through on yet."

"What?"

Jack leaned to the side and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small box. She reached out for the box, but he opened it before she could pick it up. She swallowed as she looked at the silver ring with a topaz stone.

"There's an inscription. It says we will always travel together."

She extended her finger and touched it. "You've been thinking about this?"

"Yeah, for weeks. I went to a couple stores in DC, but nothing struck me as quite right."

"And this?"

"Seems perfect."

Sam closed the box. "Knowing she was pregnant would have spurred him to find a ring."

"Yes, but it's important that you know I was thinking about it before I knew you were pregnant."

"You mean him. This isn't our lives Jack."

He put his hand on the side of her face. "But it's our lives now." He let go of her face and moved his hand to her abdomen. "All three of us."

"Jack."

"No, don't tell me this isn't real."

"It's real, it just isn't our lives." Tears were forming in her eyes. "It won't be like this when we fix it." One tear escaped, and Jack reached up and wiped it off her face. He pulled her close and held her.

"Good morning once again ladies and gentlemen. Dr. Jackson, did you learn anything useful?"

"I think so. Cameron's grandfather was the captain of the Achilles, the ship that brought the stargate to America. The ship was attacked and the man in the photo, Carl Michaels, was credited with stopping the attackers and saving the ship. Carl Michaels first appeared in merchant marine shipping records about five years before joining the Achilles. He got his start on a fishing liner about five years before joining the merchant marines. There are no records about him before that. He died six years after the Achilles brought the stargate to America. He didn't have a family, but he did leave a will." Daniel projected an image on the screen. "The will led us to safe deposit box here in town."

"Here?"

"Yes, sir. The box was paid for through next year and nobody has visited it since 1948."

"We took the liberty of going to the bank, sir." Cameron folded his hands on the table. "I was listed as next of kin and the bank let us get the letter out of the safety deposit box."

"What does it say?"

Everyone in the room leaned a little closer to Cameron. "It seems I was the man in the picture."

"What? You?" Jack looked as shocked as the rest of the room's occupants.

"Yep. Ba'al went back in time. Sam, Daniel and I ended up in an altered timeline with an Earth that was doomed to be decimated by Ba'al and the system lords he'd taken over. I ended up being sent back in time to stop Ba'al's initial assault before he could alter the timeline. I wrote the letter to myself, in case the restored timeline was still wrong."

Jack leaned back. "So, we have to decide whether this timeline is close enough or not?"

Sam sighed. "Going back could do more damage." He saw her right hand slide over her stomach.

Mr. Miller stood up. "You can discuss this as long as you wish but ultimately it's the IOA that will make this decision." He left before anyone had a chance to debate his statement.

Jack reached over and grasped Sam left hand as Daniel looked over at them. "Things don't seem too different, right?"

Sam went to her lab and tried to work while Jack and General Landry started making phone calls. A few hours later Jack dragged her out for dinner. The rest of SG-1 came along, to make up for the lunch they never got after the extraction. They avoided talking about timelines or the IOA. They had several laughs and enjoyed the company and drinks, except for Sam who stuck to lemonade. Jack drove Sam home and offered her a foot massage that progressed further than he had intended, not that he argued with her.

Jack went back and forth between Sam's lab and Landry's office the next day while they waited for the IOA decision. She'd encouraged him to go back to Washington, since they didn't know how long it would take for the IOA to make a decision, but he made silly excuses to stay.

They picked up dinner on the way home and sat on the sofa, watching the news as they ate. She felt him watching her chew.

"What is it Jack?"

"Nothing."

"We both know that's not true."

"Fine." He put his beer down. "What do you want?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you want this timeline, or do you want to change it?"

She looked down at her hands in her lap, "It's not that easy and even if it was, it isn't our decision."

"It's easy for me." He put his hand on her leg. "I want us."

"The scientist in me knows we messed things up and should put it back. But there's another part of me that wants this." Sam moved her hand to her stomach. "I spent years wondering if I would ever get to have children and then I gave up on that dream. Now it's within my grasp but it could be taken from me." She looked up at him. "I can't believe in this if it could all be taken away."

He cupped her face. "That I can understand." He leaned forward and kissed her.

Two days later Landry called them all to the conference room just before five.

"The President called to let me know he agrees with the IOA. This timeline is close enough. There's no reason to risk bigger changes."

"That is excellent news." Teal'c looked around the table, please to see Sam and Jack with wide grins.

"Yes, it is." Jack stood up and put his hand out to Sam. "How about we get out of here."

Sam was surprised at his desire to leave without further discussion, but she took his hand and followed. He led her to the locker room and told her he would wait while she changed clothes. Once she was out, he led her to his truck and drove to downtown, where he'd made reservations at a steak restaurant. He kept rubbing his hands on his pants, so Sam knew something was up, but she knew it was best to wait rather than ask him. They made it to dessert before he had the courage to pull out the box and open it.

"Sam, now that we know we get to live this life I hoped you would do me the honor of living it as my wife. I love you and I'm very excited about building a family with you."

Sam stared at the box and the beautiful ring it held. Her heart raced, and she stopped breathing for a moment. She felt people in the restaurant stopping to watch her.

Se leaned forward and whispered, "You're sure."

"One hundred percent. I'm rarely this sure of anything. No plan B needed."

Sam held out her shaking hand, "Yes, yes Jack, yes." He slid the ring on her finger, stood up, and held out his hand to her. She joined him, and he hugged her before turning to her for a long kiss as the restaurant erupted in applause. Jack settled the bill and they headed home to plan their future.


End file.
